Rules change on importing and exporting racehorses in a move backed by World Horse Welfare

An appeal has been launched to help protect British horses as they travel abroad.

Currently, horses can move between the UK and France without health checks. But a revised Tripartite Agreement (TPA) has come into force, thanks to an appeal by World Horse Welfare (WHW).

Horses travelling between Britain and France will now need a health certificate signed by a vet.

Roly Owers, chief executive of WHW, said: “This change was needed and has been called for by World Horse Welfare and the wider sector.

“Simply the prebious TPA was unenforceable and an open door for equine disease to enter the UK, and there was evidence of it being used to transport vulnerable horses and ponies of a low value across the Channel.”

The organisation revealed the “shocking truth” of imported and exported horses which were not being checked.

In 48 hours, 91 vehicles passed capable of carrying two to 20 horses each and were not checked.

Mr Owers added: “Without accurate records of horses which travelled through the port, there’s no way of knowing the origin, state of health, or destination of these horses. As for regulation, this decision will only be worthwhile if effectively enforced and, sadly, the evidence of basic compliance checks at our borders is not something we have seen yet.”